Targeting metabolic weaknesses in castration-resistant prostate cancer with high-dose androgen combinations
Official title: Synthetic lethal metabolic drug combinations for castration-resistant prostate cancer
Funded at Johns Hopkins University · NIH-11358369 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant supports a doctor-researcher in a five-year program to uncover metabolic vulnerabilities in advanced prostate cancer and develop new combination therapies using high-dose androgens.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Career grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Johns Hopkins University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $219,240 |
| NIH project number | 5K08CA273167-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11358369 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Men with castration-resistant prostate cancer who are candidates for high-dose androgen therapies and metabolic-targeting approaches.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not respond to androgen-based strategies or have contraindications to high-dose androgen therapy may not benefit.
What this research studies
The project centers on identifying how metabolic programs in prostate cancer cells change with hormone exposure and using those weaknesses to guide therapy. It builds on prior clinical work with Bipolar Androgen Therapy to expand benefits to more patients who have limited options. Through a mentored career development plan, the clinician-scientist will study mechanisms, test combinations, and translate findings toward improved treatments. The work leverages Johns Hopkins resources and collaboration with experienced mentors to pursue novel, patient-re-focused strategies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer could receive more effective therapies that exploit metabolic vulnerabilities created by high-dose androgen treatment.
How similar studies have gone: Prior clinical work suggests BAT can be safe and beneficial for a subset of patients, supporting further exploration of metabolic targets.
Where this research is happening
-
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sena, Laura a. — Johns Hopkins University
- Study coordinator: Sena, Laura a.
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Understanding how aggressive cell states emerge in castration-resistant prostate cancer
A research project aims to uncover the hidden cell states that help prostate cancer resist standard therapy and how these states arise early in tumor development.
-
Enhancer RNA CYP11A1-eRNA in castration-resistant prostate cancer
Researchers are testing a new RNA-based target, CYP11A1-eRNA, to see if blocking it can hamper the growth of castration-resistant prostate cancer in the lab and animal models.
-
Targeted Immunostimulatory Dual Drug Conjugates for Heterogeneous Metastatic Prostate Cancer
Researchers are testing a targeted therapy approach to help people with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer by boosting the immune system and delivering drugs directly to cancer cells.
-
Androgen Receptor Action in Prostate Cancer that Stops Responding to Therapy
This grant supports research to understand why certain prostate cancers stop responding to AR-targeted therapies and to find new ways to target them.
-
Hyperactive methylation in a hard-to-treat prostate cancer subtype
Researchers are studying a newly identified methylation-heavy group of advanced prostate cancer to understand its biology and find clues for better treatments.
-
Therapeutic Targeting of Lineage Plasticity in Advanced Prostate Cancer
A cancer research effort aimed at understanding and tackling how aggressive prostate cancers become resistant to standard AR-targeted therapies.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.